The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-18
The Kiss In History.
From the Chicago Tribune.


There was an old belief that unless a
maiden was kissed under the mistletoe at
Christmas she would not be married during
the ensuing year.
When Fox was contestiug the hard-won
seat at Westminster the beautiful Duchess
of Devonshire offered to kiss all who voted
for the great statesman.
In the ceremonial of betrothal a kiss has
played an important part in several ma
tions. A nuptial kiss in church, at the con-
cluSion of the marriage service, is solemnly
enjoined by York Missal and the Sarum
Manual
The beautiful Lady Gordon, when the
ranks of the Scottish regiments had been
sadly thinned by cruel Badajos and Sala-
tempt the gallant lads, placed the recruiting
shilling in her lips, whence each who would
might take it with his own.
In Finland, accorping to Bayard Taylor,
the women resent as an insult salute upon
the lips. A Finnish matron, hearing of our
English custom of kissing, declared that did
her husband attempt such liberty she
would treat him with such a box on the ears
that he should not readily forget
In Wesley's journal, dated June 16, 175S,
is given the following description of a duel
between two officers at Limerick: ''Mr. b.
proposed firing at twelve yards, but Mr.. j.
said, No, six is enough So they kissed
one another poor f9rce9 and before they
were five PAGES asunder both fired at the in
slant"
The Code of Justinian says "that if man
betrothed woman by a kiss and either
party died before marriage the heirs were
entitled to half the donations and the sur
vivor to the other half: but if the contract
was made without the solmn kiss, the whole
of the espousal gifts must be restored to the
donors and their heirs at-law.
The Mohammedans, on their pious pill
grimage to Mecca, kiss the sacred black
stone and the four corners Of the kaaba The
Romish priest kisses the aspergillum, and
Palm Sunday the palm. Kissing the Pope's
toe was a fashion introduced by one of the
Leos, who, it is said, had mutilate1 his
right hand, and was too vain to expose the
stump.
In Iceland kissing had deferred penalties
of great severity. For kissing another mans
wife, with or without Der consent, the pun
ishment of exclusion, or its pecuniary
equivalent. was awarded. A man.rendered
himself liable for kissing an unmarried
woman under legal guardianship without
her consent, and, if the lady consented the
law required that every kiss should be
wiped out by fine Of three marks-eqfva-
lent to 40 ellis of wadmal-a quantity sufii-
Gent to furnish a whole ships crew with
pilot jackets.
In Russia the Eastern salutation is a..lxiss.
Each member of the family salutes the other
chance acquaintance on meeting kiss prin-
cipals kiss their employees; the General kisses
his officers: tine officers kiss their soldiers
the Car kisses his family. retinue, court,
and attendants and even the officers on
parade, the sentines at the palace gates,
and select party of private soldiers
probably deliberately prepared for this royal
salute" In other parts the poorest serf,
meeting higb-born dame in the street, has
but TO say, "Christ is Risen, and he will
receive kiss and the reply, HE has risen,
truly
Home, in his quaint old liable Book, -
gives an account of a curious old kissing fes-
tival held in Ireland: "Easter Monday
several hundred young persons Of the town
and neighborhood of Potsferry, county
Down, resort, dressed in their best, TO a
pleasant walk near the town, called The
Waller The avowed object of O. ch person
is 10 see the fun, which consists ia the men
kissing the females without reserve, whether
married or single This mode Of salutation
is quite matter of course: 1t Is never taken
amiss, nor with much show Of coyness. The
female must be ordinary indeed who returns
home without having received at least q
dozen hearty buses